Can anyone share info on Arrieta guns and Morton’s Limited of Lexington, KY? I am assuming an importer but can’t find the years these guns were imported by them and the model(s) they imported. I have a 16 ga sidelock gun w/double triggers, disc strikers, ejectors, 26” barrels and Briley thin wall choke tubes. I did see a few on line with the Briley thin walls so assuming this was something that was optional by the importer. Thanks - doublenut

I've lived in Lexington for the last 15 years, went tp school here for 5 years in the 60's and 70's, and visited and shopped here all of the intervening years. I have never heard of Morton's. You might call Antique & Modern Firearms and ask for Rees or Charlie. They would likely know if anyone does.

I think Morton’s was only an importer. Lived there from 2000-2005 and there was no store front named Morton’s or FFL I knew of by that name. So maybe he predates 2000. Have you looked at the proof marks to see when the gun was proofed? That could narrow the time frame down a lot. Might be looking at 1970 or 1980’s. 26” barrels would have been more popular in that time frame than later.

Just did a quick search of inactive corporate records. The articles of incorporation became active 12/29/1988 became inactive 11/1/1991. Street address was 156 Trade Street, Lexington, KY. Reading in between the lines they may have been a corp slightly earlier and rolled over into Morton’s Limited at this time. So must be before that ending time frame which tends to fit into the shorter barrel being more in demand. Check with date codes of proof or serial number as well.

Morton's LTD was John Morton, an importer who did it on the side & worked out of an ice distributing company in Lexington (no store front for Morton's LTD as far as I know). I bought an Arrieta 801 through him in the late 80's.

He was importing Arrieta guns from the mid 80's to early/mid 90's. He had some connection w/ the old Dunn's sporting goods/dog supply mail order & store in Grand Junction TN & was selling some Arrieta's through them. When Dunn's went under so did he.

All, thanks for the additional info. Will check proof marks and try to date the gun from that info. Thanks Brittany Man for some specifics on timeframe. Brett

I remember Dunn's very well. I spent a fortune with them back in the 80's when I had bird dogs and there were quail to hunt. I remember getting their catalog and drooling over those fine Arrieta shotguns.

John Allen was Dunn's and should be able to give you information. "Firearms Appraisal Services" is his name on the internet.

Here is a pic of the barrel flats….some of the proof marks are in the proof mark section of the blue book of gun values reference section. Not sure if any of the other markings are date codes or not.

Spanish date codes. I can not see enough detail on your pictures. Maybe in hand you can.

https://i58.servimg.com/u/f58/19/41/35/25/codigo11.jpg

Example of where proof date mars are often found.

https://www.njwoodsandwater.com/uploads/monthly_02_2013/post-7-13664222247896.jpg

Top picture shows I*2 = 1989. Interesting 1000 bar proof, 14,500 psi.

Bruce

Thanks to KY Jon and Bruce for additional insights. Looking at the date code info John provided I didn’t see where it ticked and tied to what Bruce shared (1989) on the manufacture year.

Bruce, help me understand your comment about “interesting 1000 bar proof, 14,500 psi”. Do you feel that is low or high proof pressure? Thanks - doublenut

850 would be standard proof. 1000 is midway between standard and full heavy 1200 bar proof. I’ve seen it before on Spanish guns. Nothing the matter with your gun proof at all. Just a not often seen proof level.

I met John Morton in the early 80's at Dunn's in Grand Junction, TN when John Allen was manager there. Nice guy. They had Paul Jaeger doing work there also.
JR

What Jon said about proof. I have a Ugartechea 119 in 16 that is proofed to 900 bar, because that's standard for 16 gauge I think. I don't exceed the service pressure even though I have a hidden third bite for added strength. I think magnum proof is 1200 bar (see the other conversation on proof on the BBS). I think 12's are proofed to 850 bar for 2 3/4" chambers. But I also have a 3" Zabala Hermanos 12 proofed to 1000 bar, so not magnum proofed, but not standard proof.

John:

I thought Paul retired when he sold out to Dunn’s but his nephew, Dietrich Apel, went down there for a while before he opened New England Custom Guns.

You could easily be correct. Too long ago to argue otherwise. They did use the Paul Jaeger name in their ads.
JR

John:

Dunn’s bought the name. Paul was very well known and Dietrich less so.

I only know this because I used to shop at Jaeger’s regularly before Dunn’s bought them. They were less than ten miles from my home at the time. I still have a 20 gauge Bernardelli Gamecock and a Bushnell spotting scope I bought from them before the business was sold.

Rem

One more question on this gun. Is there a way to determine the model by the engraving, serial #, or other means. I can’t seem to find any info on the model. I don’t have the Spanish Best book but will purchase it if it helps me with that info. Thanks - doublenut

Generally speaking you can tell the model by the engraving, but not always. Arrieta had standard engraving patterns for each of their models, but being a custom maker, they'd build whatever the customer ordered. I've seen 500 series (5-pin) guns engraved in the 931-style (7-pin) of engraving. In fact, I believe one is shown on the dust jacket cover of Spanish Best and shown with several pics in the book. The author Terry Wieland was careful in how he described this particular gun, saying it was engraved in the 931-style, not that it is an Arrieta 931. Spanish Best does not show all the standard models and their engraving patterns at the time the book was written, brochures of the day when your gun was built will be your best bet in determining the model.

There was a time you could e-mail your gun's serial number to Arrieta and they would tell you the model. Since Arrieta went out of business in ~2014, I don't know if there's someone or somewhere else where you can obtain info on your gun. Why not post a few pics here or on shotgunworld.com's Spanish Shotguns forum of your Arrieta's engraving to see if anyone can help.

Wild Skies, thanks for info. It is a five pin gun so a 5xx series of some type. Here is a pic of the side panel. Modest engraving w/case colored action. I did a search on Shotgun Forum and here and didn’t see this particular pattern. I’d call it modestly engraved not full coverage engraving. Appreciate the insights!

TTT - Anyone care to venture what model Arrieta this is? 5 pin gun. Thnx

Looks to me to be an off catalog shotgun; something made to a modest price point for some retailer. The number of visible pins in the lock isn't really very informative, other than to suggest the era in which it was made and where in the range of price points the gun may fall.

If you want to compare your gun to the line of Arrieta side lock on offer, go here:

https://www.arrietashotguns.com/en/portfolio_page/magister-2/

Kyrie,
Thanks for the follow up. I’m believe you are correct. 500 series sidelock with engraving pattern to meet a price point/target market. Very nice gun and one I’m looking forward to trying out. doublenut